KC STUDIOhttp://kcstudio.org
Advocating for the performing, visual, cinematic and literary arts in Kansas CityThu, 08 Dec 2016 22:49:57 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.6.1109385371“Dawit L. Petros: The Stranger’s Notebook,” H&R Block Artspace at the Kansas City Art Institutehttp://kcstudio.org/dawit-l-petros-strangers-notebook-hr-block-artspace-kansas-city-art-institute/
http://kcstudio.org/dawit-l-petros-strangers-notebook-hr-block-artspace-kansas-city-art-institute/#respondThu, 08 Dec 2016 22:30:48 +0000http://kcstudio.org/?p=52781Dawit L. Petros’ “The Stranger’s Notebook” is the first of a trilogy of works in which the Eritrean artist investigates “migration as a key constituent of modernity.” Consisting of large-scale color photographs and a number of videos and recorded sound, the exhibit documents Petros’ 13-month journey throughout West and North Africa, as well as to […]

]]>Dawit L. Petros’ “The Stranger’s Notebook” is the first of a trilogy of works in which the Eritrean artist investigates “migration as a key constituent of modernity.” Consisting of large-scale color photographs and a number of videos and recorded sound, the exhibit documents Petros’ 13-month journey throughout West and North Africa, as well as to Italy, Germany, France and the Netherlands.

Petros lives in New York City. “The Stranger’s Notebook” references Albert Camus’ famous 1942 novel “L’Etranger (The Stranger),” in which the French philosopher wrote about “the experience of outsiderness.”

Another of Petros’ key touchstones was “About the Author’s Journey,” a travelogue by the 19th-century Eritrean writer Fesseha Giyorgis, who wrote, among other things, about the Eritrean occupation under Italy. Giyorgis’ text, written in early Tigrinya (the main native language from Eritrea) has changed so much linguistically that Petros could not totally decipher Giyorgis’ words. The incomplete understanding of Giyorgis’ writings led Petros to create deliberate gaps in understanding related to works in his show; e.g., video screens obscure other video screens, and certain actions in the videos are unreadable, as in “The Shop.”

Twelve beautifully mounted photographs of the sea and ocean are the first images the viewer sees when entering the gallery. Most of the photos are of churning, frothy waters which appear to be from a variety of different areas. It’s not necessary to know the theme of Petros’ work to feel the possibility of danger in these pictures, which crowd on the wall like a liquid abyss. Many migrants have drowned on their desperate journeys from Africa and the Middle East to Europe, including thousands of Eritreans, and these photos suggest how unmerciful water can be.

Three of the images depict calm waters, with a shoreline in sight, implying the potential safety of a new land.

Another striking montage is “A series of complicated ambivalences, Bamako, Mali,” 12 images of men carrying prayer rugs or prayer beads walking in front of blue and white signage. It is visually impressive and, as in most of Petros’ photos, we see no faces. By focusing on what the unidentified men are carrying, Petros ensures, subtly, that we take note of the importance of faith in this country.

Two triptychs — “The Green March (Beyond the conclusive logic of monumentality), Tamougrite, Morocco” and “Indigo (Beyond the conclusive logic of monumentality, Part II), Cap Spartel, Morocco”— defy their unwieldy titles to pose dramatic images of colored cloths floating breezily in the skies. Once again, these photos are exquisite but, as with much of Petros’ work, the viewer must work hard to decipher the artist’s intent.

In one of the most dazzling marine photographs ever, 10 men, backs to the camera, stand on a beach in Lampedusa, Italy, while contemplating the shipwreck of a small sailing vessel. Beautiful and tragic simultaneously, this image calls to mind the great sea and shore paintings of the 19th-century French artist Eugene Boudin, who was characterized as “the king of the skies.” In this work, as in many others, Petros’ picture of the sky is as cosmic as it is literal.

Eritrea, located in the Horn of Africa, has one of the worst human rights record in the world, and the least freedom of the press. It also has compulsory military service, which is one reason why so many men try to escape, primarily to Italy. Petros’ art is ambitious, thoughtful and visually arresting. It aims to tell stories about regions and ways of life most of us know little about. Regrettably, the imagery in this show touches the intellect and the eye, but the heart is barely acknowledged. We miss the personal in Petros’ art, and he works in an arena that is nothing if not gut wrenching.

“Dawit L. Petros: The Stranger’s Notebook” continues at the H&R Block Artspace at the Kansas City Art Institute, 16 E. 43rd St., through Dec. 14. Hours are noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. For more information, 816.561.5563 or www.kcai.edu/artspace.

]]>http://kcstudio.org/dawit-l-petros-strangers-notebook-hr-block-artspace-kansas-city-art-institute/feed/052781Have You Had Your Annual Taste of the Bane of the Holidays?http://kcstudio.org/annual-taste-holiday-bane-kansas-city-christmas/
http://kcstudio.org/annual-taste-holiday-bane-kansas-city-christmas/#respondThu, 08 Dec 2016 22:00:33 +0000http://kcstudio.org/?p=52776Literally the most controversial foodstuff of most Christmas feasts, fruitcake is either loved or hated and rarely anything in between. But did you know . . . Fruitcake dates back to at least Roman times? The Romans mixed pine nuts, barley mash, pomegranate seeds, raisins, and honeyed wine and then shaped it into a cake. […]

Literally the most controversial foodstuff of most Christmas feasts, fruitcake is either loved or hated and rarely anything in between. But did you know . . .

Fruitcake dates back to at least Roman times? The Romans mixed pine nuts, barley mash, pomegranate seeds, raisins, and honeyed wine and then shaped it into a cake. They called it “satura.” Fittingly the word “satire,” a literary device the Romans invented, is derived from the cake, or “a mix of many ingredients both sour and sweet,” according to the New York Times. But wasn’t until the 16th century that fruitcake really got its “legs.”

Fruitcake has a special place among the hearts of British Royalty and was actually included in the wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles. And Kate Middleton’s wedding to Prince William continued the tradition when Middleton chose a fruitcake as a “clear nod to Diana’s wedding,” according to mentalfloss.com.

Fruitcake also has some surprising longevity. It can age 25 years and still be eaten and enjoyed as long as it contains the right preservatives and is stored in an airtight container, according to the Christian Science Monitor.

But why all this attention to the Fruitcake? This Saturday, December 10th, 8:00 p.m., Heartland Men’s Chorus will present their ode to the Fruitcake and many other holiday favorites at Yardley Hall on the campus of Johnson County Community College. In its third year as Kansas City’s non-traditional slant on the holiday, Kansas City Christmas has quickly become one of the fastest growing new holiday traditions. With a blend of familiar carols, choral classics and hilariously zany twists on your beloved holiday music, Kansas City Christmas features something for everyone and is sure to leave you in the holiday spirit ‘cuz it’s a celebration that’s “Classy, Brassy and OH SO Sassy!” Visit www.hmckc.org/tickets/ or contact 913-469-4445.

]]>The snow has arrived and KC Studio editor Alice Thorson has a fresh batch of calendar picks to keep you warm this weekend. Tonight, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, see An Octoroon at the Unicorn Theatre (read Robert Trussel’s review here). Tomorrow night, Grammy-nominated singer Jim Brickman performs with the Kansas City Symphony. Saturday, the Kansas City Chorale performs Christmas carols with talented young singers from around the KC metro area (last year’s performance pictured above), and Ensemble Ibérica performs the ethereal Kilmore Carols at St. Paul’s Episcopal. Saturday and Sunday, Owen/Cox Dance Group performs with The People’s Liberation Big Band for a raucous take on The Nutcracker. For more ideas this weekend, visit Kansas City’s most comprehensive arts calendar at kcstudio.org/events.

“An Octoroon” transforms a 19th century plantation melodrama with a beautiful maiden, Indians, and slaves into a theatrical event that is equally hilarious and moving, subversive and provocative. Part period satire, part meta-theatrical middle finger, it’s a shocking challenge to the racial pigeonholing of 1859—and of today.

Jim Brickman brings us the sounds of the season in a one-of-a-kind concert event filled with lush instrumentals and soaring vocals. Hear new music, holiday favorites and hits like “Valentine,” “If You Believe,” and “Sending You a Little Christmas,” that made him the most charted Billboard® Adult Contemporary artist, earning him two Grammy® nods and four gold albums. With featured musical guests and your Kansas City Symphony, feelings of comfort and joy will remind you of what we cherish during the most wonderful time of year. Tickets start at $40.

One of the most heart-warming concerts of the year, A Chorale Family Christmas joins talented young singers from around the Kansas City metro together with Charles Bruffy and the Chorale for a special festival-style program of seasonal favorites. Each choir has an opportunity to share two or three pieces from their holiday repertoire before joining the Chorale in a massed chorus of Christmas carols, culminating in a giant sing-along – and the audience is encouraged to join, too!

Originally composed by an Irish friar living in Spain, the ethereal Kilmore Carols have been performed for over 250 years in the same small chapel within the Kilmore parish of Wexford County, Ireland. This concert features Ensemble Ibérica’s breathtaking soprano, Victoria Botero.

Back by popular demand! The Owen/Cox Dance Group returns to the original and notably darker E.T.A Hoffman story, “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” (1816). This production will feature original music and radical rearrangements of Tchaikovsky melodies created by a host of innovative Kansas City jazz musicians, as well as the award-winning choreography of Jennifer Owen.

]]>http://kcstudio.org/editors-weekend-calendar-picks-december-8-11/feed/052768Heartland Men’s Chorus – Kansas City Christmashttp://kcstudio.org/heartland-mens-chorus-kansas-city-christmas-2/
http://kcstudio.org/heartland-mens-chorus-kansas-city-christmas-2/#respondTue, 06 Dec 2016 19:57:53 +0000http://kcstudio.org/?p=52664We are nearing the end of 2016, a year that hasn’t come without its challenges. It was just a little over six months ago that Heartland Men’s Chorus had our final performance of “I Rise!” HMC’s 30th Anniversary Concert. Our weekend of concerts planned to celebrate our 30-year history of meaningful music making. Little did […]

We are nearing the end of 2016, a year that hasn’t come without its challenges.

It was just a little over six months ago that Heartland Men’s Chorus had our final performance of “I Rise!” HMC’s 30th Anniversary Concert. Our weekend of concerts planned to celebrate our 30-year history of meaningful music making. Little did we know that we would wake on that day to the news of the worst mass shooting in American history at the Pulse Night Club in Orlando, Florida.

Just a few weeks after our concerts, the Heartland Men’s Chorus learned of the cancer diagnosis of Rick McAdams, our long-time sign-language interpreter. Rick passed away this past summer. Just a few weeks ago, all too soon, we lost long-time singer and assistant accompanist for the chorus, Steve Karlin. And, regardless of your political persuasion or opinion of the results of our recent elections, we can all agree that we are a divided nation that desperately needs healing and unity.

Despite the challenges, the world has a way of offering perspective. Last week the HMC production team spent Saturday cleaning out the HMC production storage units. Consequently, you’ve never seen a bigger collection of feather boas and size 14 high heels. As we were going through 30 years of production supplies, we came across a handbook from Heartland Men’s Chorus’ first year in 1986. As we thumbed through the pages, we found the names of the revered founding members. We found the weekly newsletters, which were definitely created on a typewriter. But most striking were the names, hospitals and room numbers that were written throughout the book. It was a much-needed reminder of why we sing . . . that we sing for something greater than ourselves . . . and that we have truly come quite a long way.

Join us for the swinging interpretation of this holiday classic based on arrangements by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. Mr. Tchaikovsky’s timeless masterpiece is going to swing! Clint Ashlock will also be premiering his innovative take on classics such as Mouse King Battle, Spanish Dance, Pas de Deux, and much more!

]]>http://kcstudio.org/nutcracker-suite-tuesday-december-6th-7pm-helzberg-hall-early-show-2/feed/052578“Women in Glasses” – A Reminiscence by Doug Drakehttp://kcstudio.org/women-glasses-reminiscence-doug-drake/
http://kcstudio.org/women-glasses-reminiscence-doug-drake/#respondMon, 05 Dec 2016 16:00:14 +0000http://kcstudio.org/?p=51817After two years of showing paintings and drawings by Impressionist and Abstract Expressionist masters as well as contemporary sculpture, photography and videotapes, in December 1976, I presented an interactive installation work by Cyndi Ketchum at Douglas Drake Gallery, 4500 State Line Road. Ketchum was a 34-year-old recent graduate of the Art Institute whose previous art […]

]]>After two years of showing paintings and drawings by Impressionist and Abstract Expressionist masters as well as contemporary sculpture, photography and videotapes, in December 1976, I presented an interactive installation work by Cyndi Ketchum at Douglas Drake Gallery, 4500 State Line Road.

Ketchum was a 34-year-old recent graduate of the Art Institute whose previous art environments in her attic and in her Brookside basement had struck me as intelligent, symbolically coherent, and engaging on many levels. She had challenged me to give her some time and space in the gallery, and I readily accepted. What she had in mind and developed was a work titled Women in Glasses, presented the nights of Dec. 7 and 8, 1976.

Crucial to the artist’s intent, this living sculpture of women allowed space for the public to be part of the art, as well. The models were instructed not to look directly into the eyes of the audience, and were choreographed to change positions on specific words: “glass . . . wet . . . velvet . . . neon . . . fog . . . thorn . . . water . . . green . . . knife . . . brick . . . swan . . . rust,” spoken over the recorded wash cycle of a washing machine. The soundtrack was a 12-minute loop created with the assistance of Bill Shapiro, who went on to host KCUR’s “Cypress Avenue” show in 1978.

The volunteer models included artists, students, professionals and housewives — including one woman who was five months pregnant. Nelson-Atkins chief curator Ted Coe attended the first night and returned the second night with several of the museum’s trustees! Total attendance for the two nights was 325 people.

The front door to the main gallery space was locked and the space itself was enclosed with white sheets. Entry was from the back door, which was on a lower level. Another local character crucial to the project was Arthur Benson, who guided me with elements to prevent legal issues, primarily by posting signs at the event entrance saying that no one under 18 would be admitted, no drinking or smoking, 2 dollar payment and model release were required, and the caution, “If nudity offends you, please leave.” One couple did.

The late photographer Donald White took color and black-and-white photos of record; some of these were shown two months later in a special exhibition at the gallery. Ketchum (now known as Cyncha Jeansonne) has described the piece as “an interactive 3D version of a Rubens painting.” It was a topical, provocative work, joining the era’s feminist refutations of the male gaze by artists such as Yoko Ono, Carolee Schneemann and Lynda Benglis.

Shifra Stein of The Kansas City Star and Victoria Melcher of Kansas City Magazine reviewed the exhibition. The Associated Press relayed reports to many cities where local articles then appeared, including Houston, Indianapolis, New Orleans, Cleveland, Newport Beach, Fort Worth, St. Louis — and in Scotland and London.

–Doug Drake

Above: Closeup view of Cyndi Ketchum’s Women in Glasses installation/performance work, presented at Douglas Drake Gallery in Kansas City on Dec. 7 and 8, 1976. Image from the artist.

]]>http://kcstudio.org/women-glasses-reminiscence-doug-drake/feed/051817A Caustic Meditation on Race and Theater at the Unicornhttp://kcstudio.org/caustic-meditation-race-theater-unicorn/
http://kcstudio.org/caustic-meditation-race-theater-unicorn/#respondSun, 04 Dec 2016 20:36:44 +0000http://kcstudio.org/?p=52635Could it be more timely? A radical satire about America’s history of slavery and enduring black and white stereotypes at the Unicorn Theatre captures the country’s zeitgeist with amazing accuracy. I’ve never seen a play quite like “An Octoroon” by New York-based Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins, winner of the 2016 MacArthur Fellowship. He uses an 1859 melodrama […]

]]>Could it be more timely? A radical satire about America’s history of slavery and enduring black and white stereotypes at the Unicorn Theatre captures the country’s zeitgeist with amazing accuracy.

I’ve never seen a play quite like “An Octoroon” by New York-based Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins, winner of the 2016 MacArthur Fellowship. He uses an 1859 melodrama as a foundation for acute observations about art, perception and, of course, race. Framed as a play within a play, the material also allows Jacobs-Jenkins room to probe the craft and art of theater.

Plays about play-making usually have me bolting for the nearest exit. But “An Octoroon” defies expectations at every turn. Jacobs-Jenkins gives us a script at once comic, acerbic and thoughtful. Jacob-Jenkins’ raucous and cerebral play demands to be taken seriously. His lack of fear is breathtaking.

The Unicorn production, directed by Damron Russel Armstrong, is officially a co-production with UMKC Theatre and showcases some phenomenal performances. The design work is generally excellent.

A Broadway melodrama, “The Octoroon” by the prolific 19th-century Irish playwright Dion Boucicault, is Jacobs-Jenkins’ point of departure. Boucicault’s play opened at the Winter Garden Theatre in 1859, the year before the Confederates kicked off the Civil War by firing on Fort Sumter. Subtitled “Life in Louisiana,” the plot depicted the lives of plantation slaves and masters, crooked land deals, villainous scoundrels and a young white heir’s love for a beautiful young woman who is one-eighth African-American — the octoroon of the title.

Jacob-Jenkins’ play opens with a comic monologue by BJJ (Rufus Burns), who introduces himself as a black playwright and describes his therapist’s efforts to get at the cause of his malaise. That leads us to his fascination with Boucicault’s play and his desire to stage it. But he has a problem. BJJ can’t find enough white actors willing to play racists in a Civil War-era melodrama (they defer by saying racism is “complicated.”) By the same token, he can’t fill all the slave roles with African-American actors.

The result? A staging of Boucicault’s play in which BJJ in whiteface and a blond wig plays both the hero and the villain of the piece. And his assistant (Michael Thayer) dons blackface to play Pete, the stereotypical old “uncle.”

As if those aren’t enough levels of perception, Jacobs-Jenkins also introduces Boucicault (Logan Black), identified as the Playwright. Presumably transported from 1859, the Playwright, true to the Irish stereotype, is drunk when we first meet him.

Later in the play BJJ and the Playwright deliver what amounts to a quick educational seminar on the mechanics of five-act 19th-century melodramas. Sounds dull, I know, but like everything else in this play, the information is delivered with an audacious flourish.

Cinnamon Schultz delivers an inspired farcical performance as Dora, a southern belle who exists only in the play within a play. The poised Jessica Franz appears as Zoe, the title character. A group of attitudinal house slaves rounds out the cast: Minnie (Rasheedat “Ras” Badejo), Dido (Amber McKinnon) and Grace (Teisha M. Bankston). The production’s utility infielder is Peter Morgan, who appears as a drunken riverboat captain and recurs as a giant rabbit. (The rabbit’s presence is explained if you pay attention to the opening monologue).

Much of humor the stems from the incongruity of the house slaves gossiping in contemporary vernacular. Bajedo, who has lurked around the theater scene in Fringe Festival performances, now gets to demonstrate her phenomenal comedic gifts to a general audience. Her performance as Minnie is simply riveting. She exhibits maximum physical control and lightning mood changes. Her interplay with the talented McKinnon and Bankston produces some of show’s sharpest humor.

But the top acting honors go to Burns, whose phenomenal sense of timing and flexibility are stunning. Burns in a blond wig is inherently comical and his whiteface smile is terrifying. Late in the show he must play both hero and villain simultaneously, aided by a costume that is white on one side and black on the other. They try to outbid each other for Zoe during a slave auction and eventually struggle in a knife fight. You have to see it to believe it. Burns always makes an impression, but I’ve never seen him perform at this level.

Black also must summon maximum flexibility as he alternates between the Playwright, an Indian chief and a slave auctioneer. His work here is expansive, smart and memorable. Black brings charismatic grace to the stage.

Tristan James’ scenic design imagines an abandoned theater where scenery for the melodrama is accomplished with moveable flats and bare suggestions of antebellum grandeur. Particularly imaginative are Caroline Allander’s costumes — over the top when they need to be, understated when appropriate. Lighting designer Shannon Barondeau and assistant Hector Quintero make a vivid contribution, as do sound designers Jae Shanks and Jesus Rivera.

I found the first 15 minutes on opening night to be spellbinding. The first act lagged a bit before intermission, but I have few nits to pick. Viewers do need to sit up and pay attention because the story shifts from one level of “reality” to another unpredictably. But overall, director Armstrong exerts masterful control of the material.

This play toys with conventions and challenges its viewers to the point that some theatergoers may feel uncomfortable in the face of all this farcical racism. But I think that’s the point. If racism doesn’t produce discomfort, something’s wrong.

Audacious and fascinating, “An Octoroon” is my kind of theater.

“An Octoroon” runs through Dec. 26 at the Unicorn Theatre, 3828 Main St. Call 816-531-7529 or go to www.unicorntheatre.org.

Join us for the swinging interpretation of this holiday classic based on arrangements by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. Mr. Tchaikovsky’s timeless masterpiece is going to swing! Clint Ashlock will also be premiering his innovative take on classics such as Mouse King Battle, Spanish Dance, Pas de Deux, and much more!

]]>http://kcstudio.org/nutcracker-suite-helzberg-hall-early-show-kansas-city-jazz-orchestra/feed/052576Heartland Men’s Chorus’ Kansas City Christmashttp://kcstudio.org/heartland-mens-chorus-kansas-city-christmas/
http://kcstudio.org/heartland-mens-chorus-kansas-city-christmas/#respondThu, 01 Dec 2016 22:00:26 +0000http://kcstudio.org/?p=52627Heartland Men’s Chorus, Kansas City’s gay men’s chorus, certainly fills a significant niche within the burgeoning arts and cultural scene in Kansas City. But being the gay chorus in town may still defy some pre-conceived notions about the organization. To wit: We have six straight singers, four of whom are ministers. We have a female […]

]]>Heartland Men’s Chorus, Kansas City’s gay men’s chorus, certainly fills a significant niche within the burgeoning arts and cultural scene in Kansas City. But being the gay chorus in town may still defy some pre-conceived notions about the organization. To wit:

We have six straight singers, four of whom are ministers.

We have a female singer because her voice cannot reach the notes found in women’s choral literature.

A recent board chair is a straight suburban mom from Liberty, Missouri.

Our current board chair is a retired U.S. Army Lt. Colonel who served in Afghanistan, consults for the Army, and holds a PhD.

Our board vice chair is a straight minister.

We have nine non-singing women members who serve in many different roles.

Some are retired, others are students, and everyone is passionate about music which you’ll see if you come to our performances! We start this weekend, December 3 & 4 at the Folly Theater and December 10th at Yardley Hall. Visit www.hmckc.org/tickets/ today!

]]>http://kcstudio.org/heartland-mens-chorus-kansas-city-christmas/feed/052627Editor’s Weekend Calendar Picks, December 1 – 4http://kcstudio.org/editors-weekend-calendar-picks-december-1-4/
http://kcstudio.org/editors-weekend-calendar-picks-december-1-4/#respondThu, 01 Dec 2016 20:00:37 +0000http://kcstudio.org/?p=52537We’ve got another round of calendar picks from KC Studio editor Alice Thorson for the first weekend of December. Tonight, see the Kansas City Chorale perform seasonal favoritesat the Nelson, or the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis at the Midland (presented by Harriman-Jewell Series). Thursday through Sunday, the Kansas City Symphony will […]

]]>We’ve got another round of calendar picks from KC Studio editor Alice Thorson for the first weekend of December. Tonight, see the Kansas City Chorale perform seasonal favoritesat the Nelson, or the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis at the Midland (presented by Harriman-Jewell Series). Thursday through Sunday, the Kansas City Symphony will perform Handel’s Messiah inside Helzberg Hall. Friday night, The Friends of Chamber Music present Stile Antico at Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Friday through Sunday, you can view and purchase art and other gifts at the KCAI End-of-Semester Show on campus or at the KC Clay Guild Sale & Studio Tour at locations throughout the city. Saturday and Sunday, the Heartland Men’s Chorus presents its Annual Kansas City Christmas at the Folly and the Kansas City Ballet performs their re-imagined Nutcracker at Kauffman. For more ideas this weekend, visit Kansas City’s most comprehensive arts calendar at kcstudio.org/events.

How would you like to deck this hall? Join Charles and the Chorale in beautiful Rozzelle Court at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art for a special one-hour program of seasonal favorites. Get your tickets early – these concerts always sell out! Call the UMKC Central Ticket Office at 816-235-6222 to reserve your spot today.

This famous ensemble has been a Series favorite since its 1999 Kansas City debut, and its Big Band Holidays concert will be another first for KC. The Orchestra led by trumpeter Wynton Marsalis constitutes 15 of today’s finest jazz players and will be joined by vocalist Catherine Russell.

Hallelujah! The power of more than 250 voices combined with the impeccable acoustics of Helzberg Hall provides a triumphant experience of Handel’s majestic choral masterpiece. The Kansas City Symphony and Symphony Chorus join with the Independence Messiah Choir to celebrate 100 glorious years of performing Handel’s Messiah— the perfect way to kick off your holiday season. Tickets start at $25.

Stile Antico has established themselves as one of the world’s most accomplished and innovative vocal ensembles. Working without a conductor, this self-directed ensemble has made critics almost speechless and thrilled audiences worldwide with their breathtaking perfection. Their moving performances and creative programming shine a new light on Renaissance music. In the spirit of the season, the ensemble performs a heart-warming selection of 15thcentury German and Flemish Christmas carols.

Art lovers and art collectors – start your holiday shopping at the Kansas City Art Institute’s (KCAI) End-of-Semester Exhibition and Sale, Dec. 2 through 4. Find a treasure trove of original artwork and goods made by KCAI’s talented students in various departments including ceramics, fiber, illustration, painting, photography, printmaking, graphic design and sculpture. All proceeds benefit individual students and KCAI studios.

Enjoy hot chocolate and coffee as you wander the beautiful KCAI campus to shop at various studio buildings. You can start shopping at 5 p.m. on Friday, December 2, but in some cases, the artwork will stay on display until Sunday when it must be picked up. For a map of KCAI, located at 4415 Warwick in Kansas City, Mo., visit http://kcai.edu/campus-life/campus/.

In its third year as KC’s traditional, non-traditional holiday concert experience, Kansas City Christmashas become the way thousands of Kansas Citians sing in the season. With a blend of familiar carols, choral classics and hilariously zany holiday numbers,Kansas City Christmas features something for everyone and is sure to leave you in the holiday spirit. This year’s program will feature John Rutter’s majestic Gloria in a new setting for men’s voices accompanied by brass and percussion. And, for the first time, we’re taking a mainstage concert to Johnson County for our suburban patrons.

In 2015 Kansas City Ballet launched an All-New The Nutcracker and broke box office records and received critical acclaim! Make this your family holiday tradition and see it again for the first time! The classic, Victorian-era story by E.T.A. Hoffman featuring Clara, the Prince and Dr. Drosselmeier completely reimagined with exquisite costumes by Holly Hynes, grand sets by Alain Vaës and captivating choreography by Artistic Director Devon Carney. See your children’s wonder ignite and feel the glimmer once more as your childhood dreams return and inspire you to IMAGINE AGAIN. Run time is approximately two hours and 15 minutes with one 20-minute intermission.